Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
NAOMI
Lois and I were slowly working our legs over on the bike, waiting to be called to court for our first doubles match, both of us watching Sam’s third-round match on my phone, propped up on the handlebars.
He was up a set and a break and seemed to be cruising. This was the first match of his I’d actually been able to see, and considering the last time I’d watched a singles match of his, he’d been close to passing out, he looked substantially better.
“What’s going on with you two, anyway?” Lois’s voice cut through my stupor as I watched Sam thump balls back across the net from the baseline.
“What do you mean?” I answered, turning my head to look at her. A smirk was on her face.
“I mean, now feels like a good time for us to talk about the fact that Wyatt has joint custody of you and a certain someone. You know, that same someone who was in Montreal when he had no reason to be there whatsoever. Have you been holding out on me?”
I shrugged as my eyes flicked to my phone at the exact same moment Sam lifted the hem of his dark grey T-shirt to wipe sweat off his face, revealing his abs and the trail of hair running down into his matching shorts.
The cool burn of humiliation at completely misreading the signs and his polite rejection stung less than it had in the immediate aftermath.
But it had done nothing to kill the crush I harboured.
It did, however, focus me a bit more, as at least I knew his actions and behaviour were nothing more than friendly.
I was also grateful that after New York, I was going back home, so I could have some time and space away from this tennis bubble I’d found myself in with Sam.
“See! This is what I mean. That look, those eyes. What is going on between you?”
I turned to look at her again and rolled my eyes.
“Nothing. Nothing is going on. Is he hot? Yes. Do I find him attractive? Also yes. But that’s pretty much it. I made a move the other night, and he rejected me. So yeah, nothing is going on.”
She frowned. “He rejected you? That doesn’t make any sense.
He clearly likes you. He literally showed up to our match the other night while his hair was still damp and shoved a sandwich down his throat like he couldn’t wait a moment longer to see you.
And also, he’s sitting next to Wyatt and Leesh, which means he passed all kinds of vibe checks because that box has been a party of two for years. That’s not nothing.”
“I mean, the alternative was he goes back to an empty flat, and I know which option I’d take,” I weakly offered. Although I’d assumed the same thing.
“The alternative was: he just twiddles his thumbs somewhere on site and eats a full meal in a civilised manner. Not that. How have you been since?”
“Fine, I guess. The world was never going to end just cos the guy I liked rejected me. Things have been fine since, so no real drama. But I’m kinda happy I’m done for the season after here because at least I’ll get some distance from it all and get over it.
Maybe the main problem is that for the first time in a while, I’m spending a lot of time in the vicinity of a man I’m not related to, and part of me latched onto that. ”
Lois snorted. “I dunno, Mimi. I’ve known you a long time and don’t remember the last time I saw you with something as mortal as a crush. Actually, I don’t remember the last time we talked about you hooking up with someone.”
I tipped my head up to the ceiling and huffed out a breath.
“That’s because it’s been a while on both fronts.
” I dropped my head down. “I think it’s been three years since I hooked up with someone.
Actually, yeah, it has been three years.
Ryder made a joke at my thirtieth birthday that he was my present and would be the best one I’d ever get. I called him on his bluff.”
Another shorter snort. “That wasn’t a bluff.”
My legs slowed down, and my jaw dropped. “I’m sorry? What the hell do you mean by that?” I half-whispered, shock lacing my tone.
Lois’s cheeks were a deep pink that had nothing to do with the cycling. “Remember how you ruined my life at Eastbourne?” I nodded. “Yeah, well, Sam beat Ryder that day as well. One thing led to another, and we got over it by getting under each other. And we keep doing it.”
Lois found a way to blush even deeper, and I playfully hit her arm.
“June was ages ago! Lois!”
“I know! It didn’t seem worth bringing up because I didn’t think it would be anything. You know how it is sometimes. Just gotta scratch an itch and move on.”
“But it’s something now?”
She nodded. “We went on an actual date the other night, after you once again ruined my life, and it was nice. Really nice.”
“The Quinns have always been good people. And I’m happy you’re happy. Your eyes are literally glowing right now.”
Lois’s smile was blinding for a moment, and then it turned teasing.
“Pretty sure he only hit me up because he heard you were hitting the mixed doubles and needed insider knowledge on that serve of yours.”
I laughed. “Did you lie to him then? He had no idea how to deal with my serve.”
A shoulder lifted. “I might have passed on the insider knowledge while he was out of his mind, just trying to get oxygen into his body. So, you’re welcome,” she teased.
An unexpected cackle left me. “Never thought that would be something I would thank you for. Anyway, enough talk about boys. How are we playing this match?”
I watched in real time as Lois slipped into match mode and the pinkness in her face lessened almost instantly.
“Jessica hates baseline rallies, so she’s going to be looking to push us up the court.
You’re a better net player than me, so you should probably lead there.
Fletch has a first and second serve that we can punish, and of the two, she’s probably our best bet at breaking.
And if we both serve well and stick to what we do best, I think we have a shot. ”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.”